Post-launch flooding control apparatus



Aug. 13, 1963 T. K. MOY 3,100,421

POST-LAUNCH FLOODING CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 8, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet1 IIII HII' FIG. 2

INVENTOR T 50) K M0) ATTORNEYS Aug. 13, 1963 T. K. MOY 3,100,421

POST-LAUNCH FLOODING CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Jan 8, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR TTORNEYS United States Patent This invention relatesgenerally to missile launching systems, and more particularly to anapparatus for controlling post-launch flooding occurring in submergible,vertically oriented missile launcher tubes.

During submerged launching of a missile using the tube launch technique,wherein a missile is launched from a vertically oriented tube mountedwithin a submergible ship hull,"it is highly desirable that the totalweight of the ship and its distribution before a missile has beenlaunched remain the same after a launching has been executed in order toassure optimum ship maneuverability and stability. In practice, it ismost often the case that the Weight of the missile being ejected isconsiderably less than the Weight of water flooding the launch tubesubsequent to de- "parture of the missile. A present practice consistsof blowing out a prescribed amount of water from a compensation tank ata prescribed time and rate to compensate for the excess weight of wateradmitted into the launching tube after missile departure. if the excesswater can be successfully prevented from ever entering the "launchertube, the present compensation tank requirement can be eliminated,resulting in considerable savings in cost and vital space.

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide anapparatus for controlling the amount of postlaunch tube floodingoccurring in submerged, vertically oriented missile launching tubes.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide an improvedmissile launching tube having means operative to maintain the weightconfined within such a tube before and after launching.

A further object of this invention is to provide an im; proved missilelaunching tube having a post-launch flooding control apparatus operativeto maintain weight stabil-t ity before and after launching regardless ofthe size of the missile being launched.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide apost-launch flooding control apparatus designed for easy incorporationinto existing missile launching tubes.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide, in a ship having aplurality of submergible, vertically oriented launching tubes ofsymmetrical arrangement, a means operative to maintain the weightdistribution of such ship after a launching has been executed equal tothat existing "before such launching, regardless of the weight of theparticular missile launched and regardless of which tube the missile maybe launched from. Other objects and many of the attendant advantages ofthis invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a submarine hull showing a possiblearrangement of vertical launching tubes arranged therewithin;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partially sectionalized, of the lower endof one of the launching tubes shown in FIG. 1, and shows the generalarrangement of the post- "l'aunch flooding control apparatus withrespect to the 3,1h9342l PatentedAug. 13, 1963 FIG. 4 is a detail viewof the locking mechanism schematically indicated in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing the details of the valve structureand mountings indicated generally in 'FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designateidentical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and moreparticularly to FIG. 1, wherein there isshown a portion of asubmergi-ble ship hull 10 having arranged therein vertically extendinglaunching tubes 12. In observing FIG. 1, it will be appreciated thatupon the occurrence of -a change in the weight housed within a giventube, an imbalance will be created which will adversely affect shipmaneuverability andstability. Such a change in weight will norinallyoccur upon the launching of a missile from one of such tubes in that itis'most often the case that the missile launched weighs considerablyless than the water-flooding such tube after the missile has-departed.Itis therefore clear that a device overcoming such Weight variationwithout requiring additional space would be highly desirable. FIGS. 2through 5 are illustrative of a preferred embodiment of such a deviceand attention is now directed thereto.

i In that thedetails of each of the launching tubes schematicallyindicated in FIG. 1 are substantially'idendeal, the, followingdescription will be limited to a single, typical tube. A sectionalizedelevation View of the lower portion of such a tube is shown in FIG. 2and includes an outer tube :14 surrounding a coaxially mountcd innertube 16, which in houses missile 18, indiskirt 30 of missile 18 in turnrests upon flanged portion 26 and, at its lower extremity, is providedwith an outwardly protrudingrib or beaded portion 32 which cooperateswith a plurality of latching shoes 34 to restrain the missile againstupward movement until the desired ejection air pressure has beenobbtained. These latching shoes 34 maybe actuated by solenoid devicesschematically indicated at 36. Afiexible annular seal 38 extends betweenthe lower portions of the inner and outer tubes 16, 14, respectively, toprovide a fluid type partition between plenum chamber 4h and upperannular area 42.

It is desirable to point out at this juncture that the configuration,interrelationship, arrangement, and mode of operation of missile supportring 20, the interconnection of the inner tube .16 with the missilesupport ring 20, the seal 38, the latching-shoes 34 and their associatedactuating devices 36, and the con-figuration of missile skirt 30comprise no essential part of the instant invention and will necessarilybevaried to suit the requirements of a particular installation.

Attention is now directed to the details of the valve assembly 28, asbest shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, wherein it can be seen that the valveassembly consists of essentially two components, a sab ot 4 4 and agravity check valve 46, with its associated mounting structure. Thesa-b'ot is a tubular member of a diameter somewhat less than that of theinner tube '16 and is provided with a relatively wide flanged portion 26at its upper end which engages step flange 24 of the missile supportring 20 when the sabot in its pro-launch position at the lower extremityof inner tube '16. When check valve 46 is in its lowered, closedposition, as indicated in solid lines in' FIGS.- 2 and 5, the sabot 44acts as a substantially fluid-impervious partition between plenumchamber 40 and the upper regions of the inner tube 16. The sabot issized to extend sufficiently below the missile support ring 20 in orderto insure that the operation of check valve 46 will not interfere withexhaust nozzles 48 of missile 18. The lower end of sabot 44 is providedwith internal threading or a manually operated breechtype locking ring50 to provide ready disengagement of check valve mounting cone 52 fromsabot 44 for purposes of missile inspection. The mounting cone isprovided with a centrally located aperture 54 of any desiredconfiguration, a circular one being shown in the drawmgs.

Around the periphery of this aperture, there is provided equi-spaced,vertically extending stud bolts 56 which may be secured in any suitablefashion. Check valve 46 is provided with matching bores 58 of slightlylarger diameter than stud bolts 56, thereby rendering the check valvetree to reciprocate therealong in a fashion later to be described. "Inorder to promote a fluid-type seal between check valve 46 and mountingcone 52, the latter may be provided with rubber gasket 60 overlain by arubber O-ring of somewhat less resiliency, which O-ring 62 registerswith'notched out portions 64 of the bores 58 formed in the check valve46 when the latter is in its closed, position. The upper ends of studbolts may likewise be provided with similar -rings received 111 Isimilar notches and restrained against upward movement by means of stopnuts 66. I primarily serve as butters against the slamming acuon Y ofcheck valve 46 when the latter is caused to move In this position theO-rings rapidly to its fully opened position, as indicated in dottedlines in FIG. 2.

- It is now desired to describe an additional feature of sembly 28 willbe in the position indicated by solid lines in FIG.,2, wherein flangedportion 26 rests upon step flange 24 of the missile support ring 20; andmissile 18 will be'i-n the position indicated by dotted out- 'line.

The actual launching of missile'18 commences with the introduction ofhigh pressure ejection air into plenum chamber 40, which chamberconstitutes an air tight space defined by the ship hull structure, theouter tube '14, seal 38, inner tube 16, and valve assembly 28. Asejection air pressure builds up within plenum chamber 40, the weight ofdisc-shaped check valve 46 will be overcome causing it to rise alongstud bolts 56 to a substantially fully open position against stop nuts66, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 2, thereby communicating area68 with plenum chamber and resulting in a rapid build-up of pressurewithin area 68, thereby initiating a rapid upward travel 'of missile 18.However, because of the throttling eifect of check valve 46,, thepressure in plenum chamber 40 will exceed that within area 68substantially during the entire time that any portion of missile 18remains within the launching tube .16. This pres-sure variation actsupwardly on the undersurface of valve assembly 28 to urge the sameupward against missile skirt 30 as the latter is urged upwardly byvirtue'of the pressure within :area 68. It will therefore be appreciatedthat valve assembly 28, by virtue of the piston ring-like action offlange portion 26 along the inner surface of launching tube 16, serves asecondary purpose in functioning as a piston to urge the missile 18upwardly and out of the launching tube. When the valve assembly hasreached a predetermined upper point of travel within launching tube 1 6,it is restrained against further upward travel by means of any suitablestop means provided along the at a desired level within launching tube16.

inner surface of launching tube 16'. As shown-in FIG. 4, this stop meansmay take the form of a conventional split ring 70 mounted within aninterior groove in tube 16 and extending inwardly therefrom to a pointsufficient to assure engagement with the valve. assembly fiange portion'26, yet to present no obstruction to tree passage of missile 18. Afterbeing arrested by the stop 7 means and upon decay of ejectionair'pressure, the valve assembly 28 will tend to descend to itsoriginal, prelaunch position. At approximately the same moment,post-launch flooding will commence by way of the momentarily openedupper end of the launching tube 16. Prior to the admission of anysignificant amount of postlaunch flood Waters, however, the valveassembly 28 will have descended to a point of engagement with apre-selected group of locking means now to be described.

As shown in FIG. 2, these locking means are arranged in a plurality ofcircumferentially. extendingbelts about the launching tube 16, threeseparate belts being shown in FIG. 2. Depending on the weight of themissile to be launched, the proper belt of locking mechanisms'72 isbrought into play to engage the valveassembly 28 For example, should arelatively light missile 'be discharged from launch tube 16, it is clearthat only a relatively small portion of water can be admitted to thelaunch tube it" ship stability and maneuverability are to be maintained. Therefore, the upper belt of locking mechanisms will beplaced intheir operative position to engage the valve assembly 28 at a positionhigher within the tube than would be the case with a "heavier missile.Similarly, on tiring one of the heavier missiles, the lower belt oflocking mechanisms will be placed in operative position and the beltsupstream thereof will be rendered inoperative to allow passage of thevalve assembly to the lower level where it will be locked againstfurther downward travel and Where the impending post-launch flood waterswill effect movement of check valve 46 to its lower closed position,thereby sealing off the lower region of tube 16.

Any of several conventional one-way locking mechanisms widely availablemay be employed in the multilevel belt arrangement indicated in FIG. 2and only one possible embodiment will now be described. Referring toFIG. 4, such a locking mechanism may comprise a spring biased detent 74pivotally mounted in the wall of tube 16 and urged to an operativeposition, as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 4, by means of spring 76,which spring seats against and is housed within spring cover 78. Theextent to which detent 74 is allowed to project into the interior oftube 16' when in its operative position is controlled by means of anintegral lug which is operative to abut spring cover 78 when detent 74isallowed to assume its extended, operative position. When in itsinoperative position, detent 74 lies flush with the inner surface oftube .16, thereby presenting no obstruction to the downward travel ofthe valve assembly 28. An integral eyelet 82 is formed on the outer endof detent 74, which eyelet registers with a similar wallmounted eyelet84 whenthe detent is urged to its inoperative, flush position, asindicated in solid. lines in FIG. 4, whereby a locking pin or othersuitable means,

not illustrated, may be inserted therethrough to retain the detent inits retracted, inoperative position. This locking mechanism is only oneof many similar one-way locking devices that may be employed, the onlyrequirements being that the device employed be capable of being lockedout in an inoperative position and also of the type that will allow freepassage of an object in one direction, yet prevent return passage ofsuch object.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore tobe'understood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A submergible missile launching system comprising in combination avertically oriented missile launching tube, and

a post launch flooding control valve assembly comprising annularabutment means secured in said tube adjacent the top thereof anddisposed in the path of travel of said valve assembly,

partitioning means slidably mounted in said tube and normallyreciprocable between the bottom of said tube and said abutment means,said partitioning means having a fluid inlet opening therein, a fluidactuated check valve normally sealing said opening slida-bly mountedwithin said partitioning means 'for controlling the flow of fluidthrough the opening according to the position of the partitioning meansin the tube and the position of the check valve in the partitioningmeans, a plurality of stud bolts carried by and disposed within thepartitioning means :for slidably mounting the check valve, sealing meanscarried by said bolts, seat means carried by the check valve andcooperating with said sealing means on the bolts for providing a fluidtight connection therebetween, stop devices carried by said stud boltsat one end thereof and normally spaced from the check valve forcontrolling the movement of the check valve :as said opening isunsealed,

a plurality of circumferentially and longitudinally spaced one-waylocking devices carried by said tube to permit upward movement of saidpartitioning means'as a missile is being launched and selectivelyoperable between efiective and inefiective conditions wherein downwardreturn movement of said partitioning means is prevented and permittedrespectively whereby the amount of inundation of said tube by ambientwater after missile launching may be controlled, and annular flangemeans on the partitioning means engageable with said abutment means forlimiting the upward movement of the partitioning means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each locking device ofsaid plurality of locking devices comprises a spring-biased dctentpivotally mounted in the wall of said tube and normally locked theretoso as to be flush with said wall when in said ineffective condition,spring means engaging the detents and the tube for extending the detentsinto the path of travel of said partitioning means to said effectivecondition thereby securing said partitioning means against downwardmovement in said latter condition, stop means on the detents engageablewith the tube for limiting the movement of the detents to the effectivecondition; and

keeper means carried by said wall in locking engagement with saiddetents for releasably retaining said detents flush with the wall insaid ineffective condition.

Siegel et a1 June 27, 1961

1. A SUBMERGIBLE MISSILE LAUNCHING SYSTEM COMPRISING IN COMBINATION AVERTICALLY ORIENTED MISSILE LAUNCHING TUBE, AND A POST LAUNCH FLOODINGCONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING ANNULAR ABUTMENT MEANS SECURED IN SAIDTUBE ADJACENT THE TOP THEREOF AND DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF SAIDVALVE ASSEMBLY, PARTITIONING MEANS SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID TUBE ANDNORMALLY RECIPROCABLE BETWEEN THE BOTTOM OF SAID TUBE AND SAID ABUTMENTMEANS, SAID PARTITIONING MEANS HAVING A FLUID INLET OPENING THEREIN, AFLUID ACTUATED CHECK VALVE NORMALLY SEALING SAID OPENING SLIDABLYMOUNTED WITHIN SAID PARTITIONING MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF FLUIDTHROUGH THE OPENING ACCORDING TO THE POSITION OF THE PARTITIONING MEANSIN THE TUBE AND THE POSITION OF THE CHECK VALVE IN THE PARTITIONINGMEANS, A PLURALITY OF STUD BOLTS CARRIED BY AND DISPOSED WITHIN THEPARTITIONING MEANS FOR SLIDABLY MOUNTING THE CHECK VALVE, SEALING MEANSCARRIED BY SAID BOLTS, SEAT MEANS CARRIED BY THE CHECK VALVE ANDCOOPERATING WITH SAID SEALING MEANS ON THE BOLTS FOR PROVIDING A FLUIDTIGHT CONNECTION THEREBETWEEN, STOP DEVICES CARRIED BY SAID STUD BOLTSAT ONE END THEREOF AND NORMALLY SPACED FROM THE CHECK VALVE FORCONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT OF THE CHECK VALVE AS SAID OPENING IS UNSEALED,A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY AND LONGITUDINALLY SPACED ONE-WAYLOCKING DEVICES CARRIED BY SAID TUBE TO PERMIT UPWARD MOVEMENT OF SAIDPARTITIONING MEANS AS A MISSILE IS BEING LAUNCHED AND SELECTIVELYOPERABLE BETWEEN EFFECTIVE AND INEFFECTIVE CONDITIONS WHEREIN DOWNWARDRETURN MOVEMENT OF SAID PARTITIONING MEANS IS PREVENTED AND PERMITTEDRESPECTIVELY WHEREBY THE AMOUNT OF INUNDATION OF SAID TUBE BY AMBIENTWATER AFTER MISSILE LAUNCHING MAY BE CONTROLLED, AND ANNULAR FLANGEMEANS ON THE PARTITIONING MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID ABUTMENT MEANS FORLIMITING THE UPWARD MOVEMENT OF THE PARTITIONING MEANS.